Signal lens



0. KROEHLE.

SIGNAL LENS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I0. I92I.

Pand OCI. 2A, 1922,.

KAKA

Patented @ein 24, i922.

Tegan onTTs sTaTas TDATTNT @Truce OSCAR KEOEHLE,` 0F LAKEWOD, OHM).v y

SIGNAL LENS.

Application filed January `10, 1921. Serial No. 436,083.-4

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR KROEHLE, a citizen of the Ivnited States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Signal Lens, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signal-lenses, and pertains more especially to a. signal-lens which has its outer side or front comprising spaced light-transmitting portions and substantially opaque surfaces extending between said light-transmitting vehicle is a portions, and which is to be employed in forming the face of a stop-signalling lamp adapted to be carried by and face rearwardly of a motor-vehicle. for the purpose of indicatin or signalling, to drivers of following vehic es. that the movement of the signalling vehicle is about to be arrested or checked.

The primary object of this invention is to vrender an. artificially illuminable signal-lens distinctly visible at an adequate distance,

in the daytime as well as at night, as a danger-signal and for signalling to drivers of followin conveyances that the signalling gout to come to a stop.

Another object is to produce a signal-lens the front of which comprises spaced lighttransmitting` portions of danger-indicating color and of the configuration required to form a sign. and also comprises a lighttransmitting portion havin a danger-indicating color and extending circumferentially of and spaced from said sign, and has substantially opaque surfaces extending between said light-transmitting portions, so that said light-transmitting portions are rendered conspicuous as required to display a danger-indicating sign. and danger-indicating light upon the required artificial illumination of the lens at its inner side or back.

Another object is to have the hereinbefore mentioned light-transmitting portions .of the front of the lens, when the lens is properl artificially illuminated at its back, distinct y visible at an adequate distance at any hourof the day and in all kinds of weather, and more especially to have said light-transmitting portions and the hereinbefore mentioned sign, upon said illumination of the lens. effective when they are directly exposed to light-rays from the sun.

Another object is to so form vthe back of the lens that said back has substantially all of its portions which are behind the hereinbeforeme'ntioned colored light-transmittin portions of the front of the lens provided with rearwardly flaring cavities so that, in transmitting light from said back to said 60` light-transmitting portions by the required artificial illumination of the lens at saidback, light-rays arelso refracted and diffused at the surrounding walls of said cavities as to effect the production` 'at said front 65 of the lens, of a glow of highly brilliant colored light'which is d.-inctly visible at an adequate distance from the lens in the day-time as well as at night and even when said light-transmittingportions are exposed directly to light-raysfrom the sun.

Another object is to so form my improved lens that it can be produced with facility and at a low cost.

With these objects in view, and to attain any other object hereinafter appearing, this invention consists in such configuration or features, and combinations and relative arrangements of the different portions of the lens, hereinafter described in this specification, pointed` out in the claims, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure l is a front view y of my improved lens. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken along the line 2-2 and line 3 3, respectively, of Fig. 1, looking in the directions indicated b the arrows. Fig. 4 is a back view of the ens.

Said lens comprises a glass plate 7 which is preferably circular and adapted to be placed in a substantially vertical position in forming the face of a stop-signalling lamp adapted to be carried by, and face rearwardly of, a motor-vehicle. for the purpose of indicating or signalling to drivers of following vehicles. upon the required artificial illuminationof the lens in any approved manner at the back of the lens. that the movement of the signalling vehicle is about to be arrested or checked.

' The front of the lens is shown as oomprising an inner circular face the circunfference of which is indicated bv the reference-character 8 in Fig. l. Said front also comprises an outer forwardly facing M35 annular and substantially plane surface 9 which is concentric in relation to the aforesaid inner face. Preferably the lens has its outer portion. which comprises the annular surface 9, projecting. as at 10, somewhat ll@ forwardlyof the body of the lens. The Surface 9 forms the face of the projecting annular portion 10, and preferably said projecting portion has its internal diameter measuring over three inches.

The front of the lens is shown provided within the space surrounded by the projecting portion 10, with spaced forwardly projecting portions 12 which have substantially plane faces and are such in number, conguration and relative Qarrangement as to form the letters S. T, 0 and P in the order required to form the sign Stop." Preferably the annular surface 9 and the faces of the sign-forming portions 12 are substantially in the same plane. and the projecting portion 10 surrounds and is spaced from said g'1I`1he projecting portions 10 and 12 are light-transmitting and of red or danger-indicating color. portions 12 and between the annular portion 10 and said sign-forming portions extend forwardly facing surfaces 13. Preferably my improved lens comprises a plate of lighttransmitting red glass blackened and thereby rendered opaque at the front of the lens between the sign-forming projecting portions 12 and between the pro'ecting annular portions l0 and said sign-forming portions. so that. upon the required artificial illumination of the lens at its back. light is not transmitted by the surfaces between said signforming portions` nor by the surfaces between the annular surface 9 and said signforming portions.

The back of the lens has substantially all of its portion which is behind the front annular surface 9 of the lens provided with rearwardly aringand preferably segmentally spherical cavities 15, and preferably said cavities are such in dimensions and number that each cavity 15 measures substantially one-eighth of an inch in diameter at its diametrically larger end and that at least forty cavities 15 are formed in the lens per square inch of the area of said portion of the back of the lens.

Also, the back of the lens has substantially all of its portions which arebehind the sign-forming portions 12 of the front of the lens provided with rearwardly flaring and preferably segmentally spherical cavities 16. and preferably said cavities 16 are such in dimensions and number that each cavity 16 measures substantially one-eighth of an inch in diameter at its diametrically larger end, and that adjacent cavities 16 are in close proximity to each other.

I would here remark that. in a lens embodying my invention and having the meritorious features or characteristics hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, light-rays are so refracted and diffused at the surlounding walls of the rearwardly flaring cavities 15 and 16. upon the required illumination of the lens by the Between the sign-forming use of a conventional reflector placed opposite and spaced from the back of the lens with an incandescent bulb between the reflector and the lens. that an effective dangerindicating light and the hereinbefore mentioned sign are distinctly visible at an adequate distance from the lens in the daytime aswell as at night. The chief function of the concavities on the rear face of the lens is to cause intense rays to be directed through the transparent portions on the front face not only directly rearwardly but laterally as well. In fact each concavity forms in effect a focal point from which intense light rays are spread so that the signal stands out sharply and is strongly v1s1ble to the eye of a person located not only behind but to the side of the rear of the lens and the further effect is to make it possible to plainly see the signal quite a distance from the lens in day light as well as in the night and in foggy as well as in yclear Weather.

lVhat I claim is- 1. A lens for a signal lamp comprising a( plate having translucent and opaque portions the former arranged to form a visual signal andthe plate having` the rear substantially fiat face with light directing surface irregularities.

2. A lens for a signal vlamp comprising a plate having translucent and opaque portions, the former arranged to form a visual signal and said plate havingbn the rear face closely arranged minor indentations and projections lying in the same general plane.

3. A lens for a signal lamp comprising a plate having translucent and opaque portions, the former arranged to form a, visual signal and the plate having a rearsubstantially flat face with closely arranged minor concavities.

4. A lens for a signal lamp comprising a translucent plate having a front face with portions through which light rays may pass and arranged to form a signal and with other portions treated to render the same opaque. and said plate having ,a rear substantially flat face with light directing surface irregularities.

5.. A lens for a signal lamp comprising' a translucent plate having a front face with portions through which light rays may pass andl arranged to form a signal and with other portions treated to render the same opaque and said plate having a rear face provided. with. closely arranged a'lternate depressed and elevated portions forming surface irregularities lying in the same general plane.

6. A lens for a signal lamp comprising a translucent yplate having a front face with portions through which light :rays may pass and arranged to form a signal and with `other portions treated to render the same opaque and said plate having a rear substantially flat face with closely arranged or contiguous small concavities.

7. lens for a signal lamp comprising a translucent plate having on the front face sign forming portions, the remainder of the plate being opaque. and means on the rear surface of said plate for receiving and directing rays of light through the sign forining portions in linesv or directions inclined to the surface of Athe l plate.

8. lens for a signal lamp comprising a flat plate of translucentmaterial having on the lfront face protruding portions through which light rays may. pass and arranged to form a signal` said portionsbeing surrounded by arelatively depressed surface treated so as to be relatively opaquelg-said protruding portions having plane orflat outer faces. v ,1

9. A lens for a. signall'amp comprisinga plate of translucent material havinga substantially flat rear face and having on the front face protruding portions arranged so as to constitute a signal and outside of said portions a peripheral Aprotruding `portion adapted to engage the attention of the observer, all said protruding portions being pervious to light rays and being joined by a relatively depressed surface rendered opaque.

l0. A signal-lens comprising a glass plate having a front which comprises forwardly projecting light-transmitting portions forming a sign and of danger-indicating color and also comprises a forwardly projecting light-transmitting portion extending circumferentially of said sign and of danger'- lucent and opaque portions, said translucent" portions being of danger indicating color and arranged to form a visual signal, the translucent signal forming portions of the lens having substantially flat rear faces prosurface irregularities.

121A lens for asignal lamp comprising a. translucent plate of .danger indicating color, said plate Vhaving an'opaque covering over a portion of the surface thereof.. the remaining uncovered portionsj forming a visual signal, the signal forming portions having substantially fiat rear faces provided with closely associated' light direting surface irregularities. I

In testimony whereof, l sign the foregoing specification, this 3rd day of January,

@SCAR KROEUJE.

V`vided with closely associated light directing 

